Improvement in divided car-axles



To all whom z'tmay concern:

NITEJZJ STATES PATENT OFFICE., 1

INCREASE o. PLANT, or MACON, GEORGIL IMPROVEMENT IN DIVIDED CARfAXLS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentrNo. 173,056, dated February 1, 1876; application led July 31, 1875.

has lips, which are received by, and pass uny.

Be it known that I, I. C. PLANT, of Macon in the State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Divided Car- Axles; and I do hereby declare the following vto be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of the wheels and divided axle, one-half' of the cap being removed.l Fig. 2 is a vertical section throughv the vcap and axle. Fig. 3 is a face view of one jaw of the clutch, and Fig. 4 a similar view of the opposite jaw of the clutch.

The same part is indicated by the same letter of reference wherever it occurs.

The object of the invention is to avoid the' torsional strain which occurs in turning curves, when both car-wheels are rigidly at-` tached to an axle-constructed of one piece of metal, from the Aslip of the wheel traversingv for the independent rotation of each wheel.

The nature of my invention consists in the v peculiar devices by which I unite and securely lock together the inner yends of the divided `axle while allowing free and independent rotation to the wheels, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, -W'W mark the wheels, which are of theordinary kind. A Al are the axles attached, respectively, to the wheels W W'. To the inner ends of these axles are fixed the jaws C C of a large disk-faced clutch, one jaw being fixed to each axle. The v may fbe'cast withthe axle, if preferred. A central pin, p, in the face of jaw'O is received. into a Lhole in the centerv of jaw C, as shown in Fig. 2, and a circular groove, g, in the face of jaw 0' receives an annularprojection, m,'o'n the face of jaw G, corresponding in shape with 'the groove which it enters. The grooveg is undercut on both sides,and the projection m der, the undercut portion of groove g, so as to lock the two faces of the jaws securely to'- f gether, and yet permit them free rotation. 'The outer surfaces ofthe clutch-jaws are provided lwith the beads b b b b', and with the shape and size, and the vdouble tapered and undercut flanges f f', being locked together, as before described, pass into an undercut circular groove or recess 'adapted to receive them and conformed to their shape, and` which securely holds their perimeters in contact with eachother. Thus the clutch-faces are securely held together, both at center and circumference, without interfering with the free and independent rotation of the wheels. Thehalves of the cap D are secured together when in'position by bolts or screws.

f I claim- 1. In combination with a divided axle for cars,l a lclutch consisting of the jaws O C', provided wth the projection m, groove-g, flanges f f, and beads b b,vall constructed and operating substantially as described.

2. In combination with the clutch consisting ofthe jaws C C', having on their external surface the beads b b and flanges f f', the cap D, provided with the undercut groove'for the reception of the flan ges f f', and with grooves for the reception-of the beads b b', and otherwise conformed to the external configuration of the clutch, as described.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Washington this 28th day of July, A. D. 187 5.

A INCREASE G. PLANT.

Witnesses:

Jos. T. K. PLANT, CRAs. F. STANsBURY. 

